Caught testing this morning outside the Nurburgring, BMW's high-po coupe differs from its staid siblings with upgraded wheels, drilled brake rotors and the standard M-style quad exhausts. The front bumper also benefits from a slight reworking when compared to the standard 6 Series, with an enlarged lower air dam and something we haven't seen on previous prototypes: a strip of LED turn signal indicators just below the restyled headlamps.

If the 2012 M6 is anything like its predecessors, it's safe to assume that the all-new M5's powerplant will carry over to the coupe and convertible models. If that's the case, the next M6 will be packing a modified version of the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 currently fitted to the X5 M and X6 M, with output somewhere north of 555 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. All signs point to a Paris Motor Show debut for the revised 6 Series, so we'd expect the M6 to debut early next year and go on sale as a 2012 model.